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Old 09-25-2016, 05:34 AM
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CatD
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Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 36
Default FrankenPfaff breaking thread

I have the most janky quilting rig ever. My new-to-me machine is an old industrial Pfaff 463, but modified for free motion quilting. No feed dogs, and a motor bolted onto the back with a dimmer switch (not kidding) for speed control. We have been calling her Ermingerd, the FrankenPfaff.

Anyway - she makes a seriously beautiful stitch, but I'm trying my first quilt on her, and she keeps breaking thread. After re-threading, correcting upper tension issues (just guessing it's my 3 year old who cranked the dial up to 100 - there's no stop, of course...) and changing needles, I have been able to quilt at very low speed for about a minute before the thread breaks. So now I'm wondering how much of it is the thread. I'm using Robison Anton rayon embroidery thread that's forever old. I'm just guessing I bought it about 12 years ago? (Sheesh. THAT dates me, I think...) Also had some issues winding the bobbin, and it might be too loose on the spindle - not sure if that could be causing trouble as well. But when I pull the bobbin thread it seems to move freely with reasonable "drag".

Any ideas?

Last edited by CatD; 09-25-2016 at 05:41 AM.
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